by Sue Bentley
She had an idea. ‘Do you think you can find your way back to that campsite?’ she whispered to Splash, who had fluttered up on to the draining- board to perch next to her. ‘If we show Uncle Andrew those bits of eggshell, he’ll have to believe me!’
Chapter Five
‘It’s not much further!’ Martina called.
‘Are you sure this was where the smoke came from, Martina?’ Uncle Andrew panted, as he clambered up a stony slope behind his niece and Gary. Splash hovered invisibly above them. ‘I’m amazed that you could see this much detail from the lighthouse window, especially at night.’
‘Oh, I have totally brilliant eyesight. I … um … take after my dad!’ Martina blustered, playing for time.
Just then, Martina saw Splash dive towards the ground with an eager little cry. ‘This is the place!’
Martina hurried forward and spotted some ashes and flattened grass. She felt a surge of relief. ‘Look! Over here!’
Her uncle bent down for a closer look. ‘You’re right. Someone’s made a campfire here recently. But there’s no way of knowing if they were stealing eggs.’
‘They were!’ Martina insisted. ‘And I can prove it!’
She began searching for the bits of puffin eggshell. Splash waddled about, helpfully poking under bits of dried grass and scratching at the soil. But there was no trace of any eggshell fragments. They must have blown away during the night.
Martina sighed heavily. ‘OK, so maybe I can’t prove it. But I just know that someone was stealing eggs. One thousand per cent! Please believe me, Uncle Andrew.’
‘Honestly, you don’t give up, do you?’ Gary said. But for once, he didn’t seem to be teasing her.
‘No! Not when I know I’m right,’ Martina said firmly.
‘Well, I must say that you’re one determined young lady,’ her uncle said, shaking his head slowly. ‘All right. I’ll phone the mainland and tell them to send someone over to have a proper look around, just to be certain. But until then we won’t know what the people who were here have really been doing. And it won’t be until tomorrow or later, when the channel’s safe for boats to cross.’
Martina was elated. She threw her arms round him. ‘Thanks, Uncle Andrew. The puffins will be so pleased!’
Gary shook his head slowly. ‘I don’t get you! One minute you can’t stand it here, the next you’re like – top puffin-protector!’
‘So? Even spoilt brats can change!’ Martina sang out, grinning at Splash, who was flapping his wings with satisfaction and looking up at Martina gratefully with his twinkly black eyes.
She just hoped those campers, whoever they were, would stay on the other side of the island, far from the puffin colony. With luck they had already collected enough eggs and wouldn’t take any more.
As the morning drew on, the sun came out. The cliffs were a patchwork of bright green, dotted with yellow and white flowers. Large numbers of gannets and razorbills flew back and forth to their nests on ledges on the cliff face.
Martina and Gary worked side by side, helping to count and record the number of puffin burrows. Uncle Andrew carefully checked each nest for eggs and chicks.
Splash perched on a nearby rock, watching for a while. But then he told Martina he’d be gone for a short time and fluttered into the air. ‘I will see you later!’ he called.
Martina pretended to be shading her eyes from the sun as she waved to her magical friend. He was probably going fishing for sand eels and maybe looking for magical fishing lines. She felt a tiny pang of guilt because she couldn’t help him this time, even though there was nothing she could do without her uncle or cousin noticing.
And what if Splash’s family found him and he left without saying goodbye? Martina hated to even think about that possibility. She hoped like mad that Splash would return to her. Even though he’d only been her friend for a short time, she loved him to bits.
Swallowing a worried sigh, she went back to helping record burrow numbers.
To her delight, the wild puffins didn’t seem to be at all nervous of her. They waddled around, making low friendly cries and didn’t move away, even when she got right among them.
‘It’s very unusual for breeding pairs to allow you to get so close,’ her uncle said. ‘You seem to have a way with puffins.’
Martina hid a secret smile. Perhaps some of Splash’s magic was still lingering around her and the puffins recognized her from yesterday’s night-time visit.
To her surprise she was enjoying herself hugely. She didn’t notice the smell any more and didn’t even care that much when she stepped in something nasty. Martina’s shorts were crumpled and had grass stains on them. There was mud on her knees too, but she wasn’t bothered in the least.
Mum and Dad wouldn’t recognize their favourite couch potato, she thought, smiling.
Later, as they were all returning to the lighthouse, Splash flew back with a whirr of wings.
‘Hi!’ Martina whispered delightedly, feeling a huge surge of relief as he landed lightly on her shoulder. So he couldn’t have spotted any magical fishing lines. She longed to cuddle him, but her uncle and cousin were too close for her to risk stroking him, even though he was invisible. ‘Had a good feed?’
He nodded, clicking his beak in satisfaction. ‘I had a search round too. There are two humans hiding in some rocks on the beach on the other side of the island,’ he told her. ‘I swooped down and saw them putting eggs into boxes.’
‘The thieves!’ Martina guessed.
‘I think so too,’ Splash agreed. ‘They had a boat, and it looks like they are planning to escape to the mainland.’
‘Well, I hope the police get here quickly once the channel’s safe and stop them!’ Martina said with feeling. She wished she could tell her uncle about this new development, but there was no way to explain how she knew what was happening so far away. ‘Anyway, those people are still stuck here for now. I guess there’s nothing we can do.’
‘That is true.’ Splash settled down and fluffed out his wings.
‘We were just going to make some sandwiches,’ Martina told him. ‘Uncle Andrew said he can manage by himself this afternoon. He told Gary he has to take me for a picnic – that’s when you relax and share food in the open air,’ she explained, as she didn’t expect puffins – even magic ones – had picnics. ‘You should have seen the look on his face!’
Gary was actually being a tiny bit friendlier. She decided to try to get on with him, as long as he didn’t start teasing her again.
‘That sounds like something nice to do. I would enjoy a picnic,’ Splash cheeped, tickling her ear with one outstretched wing.
Once the food and drink were ready, she, Gary and Splash set out along the cliff path.
‘Let’s sit here,’ Gary said, plonking himself down on a flattish stretch of ground with a stunning view of a rock face in the distance. He started to unwrap a sandwich and then changed his mind and jumped to his feet. ‘I need some more exercise to work up an appetite!’ he joked, starting to do a silly dance.
Martina was about to laugh, when she glanced at Splash, who had crouched down on the grass and spread out his wings. He had his eyes closed and seemed to have fallen asleep while sunbathing.
‘Watch out,’ she warned as Gary’s capering brought him closer to the little puffin.
Her cousin laughed and pulled a face. ‘Oops!’ He pretended to slip and staggered backwards with his arms spread wide.
Martina’s heart missed a beat. Gary was about to flop down right on top of Splash!
Chapter Six
Pulling herself to her feet, Martina lunged forward. Grabbing Splash, she gently tossed him to one side and he fluttered to safety. She was still rolling sideways when Gary suddenly landed heavily on her leg.
‘Oh!’ Martina gasped as her knee twisted painfully beneath her.
Gary leapt to his feet. ‘You idiot! Why did you get in my way?’
Martina thought quickly. ‘I was just … erm … messing about.
Sorry.’
‘You’re a strange one!’ Gary gave her a funny look as he dusted grass off his shorts. ‘Let’s go up that hill. There’s a better view of the gannet colony from there.’
Martina wasn’t sure she could stand up without help. ‘Um … I think I’ll stay here, thanks.’
Gary shrugged as he walked away. ‘Please yourself. I won’t be long,’ he called over his shoulder.
Splash shook himself and twitched his tail feathers into place before waddling over to her.
‘Are you OK? Sorry I had to grab you like that,’ Martina said. She bit back a wince. Her sore knee was throbbing horribly and making her feel quite sick.
‘I am fine. Thank you for saving me from being squashed. But you are hurt,’ he worriedly chirped. ‘I will make you better.’
Martina felt a tingling sensation in her fingers as Splash leant forward, opened his beak and breathed out a sparkling pale-green mist that shimmered with what looked like thousands of tiny rainbow feathers. The mist swirled around her knee for a few seconds before seeming to sink into her skin and disappear. The pain grew hot for a moment and then drained away, just as if she had poured it out on to the grass.
‘Oh, wow! It feels much better now. Thanks, Splash!’ Martina reached out her cupped hands and the little puffin hopped into them. She drew him close, stroking his soft feathers and breathing in their clean smell of fresh air and salt. ‘I love having you for my friend. I wish you could stay with me forever.’
She couldn’t imagine life without Splash now. For the first time, she realized that maybe she wasn’t that happy being by herself so much in hotel rooms. It might be nice to have a friend to do things with while her parents played golf.
Splash was nibbling a fold of her T-shirt affectionately. Suddenly, a shining silver thread appeared briefly in mid-air.
He stiffened. ‘A magical fishing line!’ The thread glistened and hung there briefly, but disappeared before Splash could fly up and reach for it. ‘Oh! I missed it,’ he cried in disappointment.
‘Maybe that’s not so bad,’ Martina said gently. ‘You could always stay with me. I’ll be going home with Mum and Dad soon. Our house has got a big pond and everything.’
Splash shook his head. ‘I am sorry, Martina, but that is not possible. I must continue my task of bringing good dreams to children with the other magic puffins. I hope you understand.’
‘I do.’ Martina swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘I suppose I knew that really.’
‘If my family send another closer fishing line, I may have to leave quickly without saying goodbye,’ he chirruped seriously.
Martina nodded, fighting back her sadness – she had tried so hard to push the horrible thought that Splash wouldn’t be staying, out of her head. She decided to try even harder to enjoy every moment of the time they had left together. ‘Here’s Gary now.’ Martina said, smiling bravely. ‘Let’s finish our picnic. Do you fancy a bit of tuna sandwich?’
‘It’s my birthday tomorrow and I’ll be going back to the hotel in time for my party, after all,’ Martina told Splash as she got ready for bed that night. Her uncle had just checked with the coastguard and had been told that boats could use the channel in the morning.
‘That is good news.’ Splash sounded happy on her behalf.
But Martina was surprised to find she wasn’t that keen to be leaving now. Splash still needed her to help him find his way home to his family. What would happen to her friend if he never managed to grab one of the fishing lines and find his way back to Silver Dream Cliffs? He could be stranded on Bird Island forever.
She still felt troubled as she got into her bunk and snuggled under a blanket, but she was too tired to think about it any more right now. Her eyes drooped as Splash flew over to roost on her pillow.
‘Goodnight,’ she said sleepily, kissing Splash on top of his velvety head.
‘Sweet dreams, Martina.’
The next morning, it was just starting to get light when she woke with a start to find Splash hopping up and down on her excitedly.
‘Martina! The puffin colony is in danger. I had a bad feeling, so I went to check on them. The egg thieves are there now!’
Martina sat bolt upright. ‘Oh no! We have to stop them! What can we do?’
‘I have an idea. I will be back soon,’ Splash declared, fluttering over to the window.
‘Be careful!’ Martina cried worriedly as he opened it and then zoomed into the sky in a trail of greeny-blue sparks. She felt a bit disappointed that he hadn’t made her into a puffin again, but she knew he must have a different plan in mind. ‘I’ll meet you at the colony!’ she called after him.
She dressed at the speed of light and then hurried downstairs on tiptoe. Anger churned inside her as she thought of how many more breeding puffins would be robbed of chicks because of the mean thieves!
Just as she reached the outside door, she felt a hand on her arm.
‘Oh!’ Martina gasped, cold with shock.
It was Gary and he was already dressed. ‘Where are you going?’ he challenged in a whisper.
‘To the puffin colony. The egg collectors are back.’
‘What? How can you possibly know tha–’
‘There’s no time to explain,’ Martina interrupted. ‘I promise that I’m not making this up. I have to try to stop them.’
Gary took one look at her tense face. ‘OK. I’m coming too.’
Martina didn’t waste time arguing. Together, she and Gary raced along the cliff tops.
As they drew close to the colony, they glimpsed two shadowy male figures. One of them was kneeling near a burrow. A second man was carefully putting something into a wooden box.
‘Hey! Stop that!’ Martina yelled, too angry to think straight. ‘Don’t you know it’s against the law to steal eggs?’
The man near the box straightened. Martina saw he was tall and burly-looking. He gave them a hard look. ‘It’s just a couple of kids,’ he called to his friend.
‘They must be with someone. Get them!’ ordered the other man.
Martina swallowed nervously as the big man took a few steps towards them. Her heart was thumping hard. She could see that Gary was scared too. But both of them held their ground.
The egg thieves came closer.
Suddenly, there was a terrific squawking and loud flapping of wings. The dawn sky darkened as thousands of puffins, gannets and razorbills flocked towards the colony. Leading them was a tiny figure. It glowed like a green-blue comet and a long trail of brilliant shining sparks streamed out behind it.
‘Splash!’ Martina cried.
All at once a deluge of smelly sand eels, rotten eggs and other nastier smelly stuff rained down on to the egg thieves as the seabirds dropped them.
‘What’s happening?’ Gary’s mouth dropped open in puzzlement.
‘It’s payback time!’ Martina said triumphantly. ‘Yay! Go, Splash!’ she said quietly to herself.
‘Urgh! Yuck! Arrgh!’ the men spluttered, holding their arms over their heads. They left the box of eggs and staggered away as fast as they could across the cliffs. The huge flock of birds followed, still pelting them with pongy stuff and diving down to drive them away with jabs from their sharp beaks.
‘Amazing! I’ve never seen different birds flocking together to act like this before!’ Gary was still staring, wide-eyed, at the spectacle.
He and Martina ran towards the sloping path the men had disappeared down. It led to a cove below. There was a small boat moored there, with another box between the seats. The two men, still pursued by angry birds, threw themselves into the boat and began rowing like mad.
‘They’re getting away!’ Martina cried.
‘No, they’re not – look!’ Gary pointed at a police launch that was just rounding the cliffs. They must have arrived to check out the island after Uncle Andrew’s enquiry. As Martina and Gary shouted and pointed towards the thieves, the launch veered sideways to intercept the rowing boat.
‘Yay,
just in time! Those men are toast!’ Gary yelled triumphantly. ‘I’m going to fetch Dad – he has to see this!’
As Gary ran back towards the lighthouse, Splash appeared in his normal colours and landed on Martina’s shoulder in a shower of invisible sparks. ‘That was fantastic. Well done, Splash! You and your friends really showed those mean thieves.’
‘I am glad that the colony is safe now.’ Splash nuzzled into her neck.
Martina smiled as she felt him gently nibbling a lock of her hair. She was just reaching up to stroke him when a shining silver line came looping towards them from the sky. The moment she had been both hoping for and dreading was here.
‘My family have found me!’
There was a bright flash and, for the last time, Splash’s feathers turned a bright glittering turquoise and a long trail of silvery-blue sparkles flowed out behind him. Seen so close up, he looked magnificent and regal.
Flapping strongly he whooshed out of Martina’s arms and flew towards the fishing line.
‘Goodbye, Splash. I’ll never forget you!’ Martina called, her voice breaking.
‘I will not forget you, either. You are a very special friend. Farewell!’ Splash called. He grasped the magical fishing line in his beak and was instantly whisked out of sight.
A single turquoise sparkle floated down towards Martina. She put out her hand and it landed gently on her palm. As she watched, it turned into a tiny bright blue seashell. She slipped it into her pocket, knowing she would keep it always to remind her of the wonderful adventure she and her magic puffin, Splash, had shared.
Martina stood there for a while, unable to believe that all of this had happened so fast. Her heart ached, but she was glad Splash would be reunited with his family and able to continue his magical task of bringing good dreams to children everywhere.
She brushed away a tear. At least she’d had a chance to say goodbye. ‘Take care, Splash. And give my love to the other magic puffins!’